The Road Back to You

The day started off like any other at the office. Violet was busy finalizing some sketches for an upcoming project while Ethan buried himself in blueprints. The tension between them had softened since the night she took care of him, but the weight of unspoken words still hung in the air.

Jade had cracked a joke earlier about how Violet was practically Ethan's personal nurse now, earning a glare from Ethan and a laugh from Violet. But as the day wore on, Ethan found himself stealing glances at her more than usual. The way she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, the little satisfied smile she wore when a design came out right, it all made him restless in a way he wasn't ready to admit.

By evening, most of the office had cleared out. Ethan and Violet remained behind, going over last-minute details of a proposal. The weather outside had shifted dramatically, the once-clear sky turning an ominous shade of gray. Soon, the distant rumble of thunder vibrated through the walls.

Ethan tensed.

Violet noticed immediately. She remembered the night he had mentioned his dislike no, fear of thunderstorms. His grip on his pen tightened, his breathing slowed in that controlled way he did when trying to suppress something.

She placed a hand over his, making him look at her.

"It's getting pretty bad outside. Maybe we should just stay here tonight?" she suggested gently.

"Yeah. Roads will be a mess anyway," Ethan hesitated but eventually gave a nod. 

"I'll go grab some extra blankets and things from the storage room," relieved that he agreed, Violet gave him a small smile. 

She got up and walked down the dimly lit hallway, unaware that Maddie, lurking in the shadows, had been waiting for an opportunity. As soon as Violet stepped into the storage room, Maddie smirked and quietly pushed the door shut, locking it from the outside and left the office.

The click of the lock was drowned out by the sudden crash of thunder, making Violet jump. She turned around, reaching for the handle, but it wouldn't budge. Panic crept up her spine. She fumbled in her pockets for her phone, only to realize she had left it at her desk.

The room was plunged into darkness as the storm knocked the power out.

Violet's breathing turned shallow. She backed up, her hands trembling as she pressed herself against the wall. The air felt suffocating, the silence deafening except for the occasional crack of thunder. She swallowed back a sob, her mind racing with fears.

What if no one finds me? What if I'm stuck here all night?

"Ethan! Ethan!" she screamed for help. 

But the storm outside swallowed her voice.

Ethan glanced at the clock, frowning. Violet had been gone too long. A flicker of unease settled in his chest, intensifying when the office lights suddenly flickered and died.

His jaw clenched. Something wasn't right.

Pushing back his chair, he grabbed a flashlight from his drawer and made his way through the darkened hallways.

"Violet?" he called, but there was no response. His unease deepened.

Then, near the storage room, he noticed something... her scarf, caught on the edge of a shelf just outside the door.

His stomach twisted. He tried the handle. It was locked.

"Violet?" he banged on the door. "Are you in there?"

Inside, Violet gasped. "Ethan!" she choked out. "I-I can't get out! The door... it won't open, and the lights—" her voice cracked.

Ethan didn't waste another second. Bracing himself, he slammed his shoulder against the door. Once. Twice. On the third try, the lock gave way, and the door burst open.

His flashlight scanned the room, finally landing on her small, curled-up form behind a shelf. She was sitting on the floor, knees pulled to her chest, her whole body trembling. He stepped inside cautiously.

"Violet?" his voice was softer now.

The second she registered his voice, she scrambled up and ran straight into his arms, clutching onto him tightly as if he might disappear. Ethan's breath hitched as he felt her shivering against him. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"I thought... I thought you left," she sobbed into his chest. "I couldn't breathe... I was so scared... someone locked me in... I didn't know—"

"Shhh," Ethan murmured, his hand coming up to cradle the back of her head. "I'm here. I'm right here."

She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, and without thinking, he brushed his thumb gently across her cheek, wiping away her tears. His fingers lingered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"As long as I'm with you, nothing will ever hurt you."

Her breath hitched. For a moment, the world outside disappeared; the storm, the office, the darkness. There was only him, and her, standing there in the dim glow of the flashlight, wrapped in an embrace that neither of them wanted to break.

Back in Ethan's cabin, he made sure she was settled on the couch, draping a blanket over her. The storm still raged outside, but inside, it was warm, quiet.

"You don't have to sit there and watch me, you know," Violet yawned. 

"I wasn't planning to," Ethan replied, who had taken a spot on the floor beside her, leaned against the couch with a book in hand. 

She hummed, clearly not believing him. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut as exhaustion took over.

A few minutes later, her hand slipped off the couch, about to hit the floor but Ethan caught it. His fingers closed around hers instinctively. He didn't let go.

Instead, he stared at their intertwined hands, his thumb brushing over her knuckles absentmindedly. Something inside him stirred, something terrifying and wonderful all at once.

She murmured something in her sleep, shifting slightly, and his grip on her hand tightened. He wasn't ready to let go just yet.

Not now.

Not ever.

He watched her peaceful face, tracing her delicate features with his gaze. He had never felt the need to hold on to something so badly before.

After a while, exhaustion caught up to him as well. His head rested against the edge of the couch, their hands still linked as he drifted into sleep.

Morning arrived with the soft glow of dawn. Violet stirred awake first, feeling warmth against her hand. She blinked, adjusting her vision and her breath caught in her throat.

Ethan was still asleep, his head resting against the couch, his hand still holding hers.

For a moment, she just stared. He looked different in sleep; peaceful, unguarded. Not the composed, brooding man she knew, but someone softer.

Carefully, she slipped her hand away, making sure not to wake him. She got up, grabbed a blanket, and gently draped it over him. When his head slightly shifted, she instinctively held it, slipping a pillow beneath it for support.

That's when she realized how close she was to him.

Her fingers brushed against his skin, and she studied his face as if wanting to memorize every detail. The sharp angles, the faint crease between his brows, the way his eyelashes rested against his skin.

A part of her wanted to touch him, to trace the contours of his face, but she stopped herself.

She took a deep breath and stepped back, stealing one last glance before quietly moving away.

Ethan stirred slightly but remained asleep, unaware of how carefully she had watched over him.

But even in sleep, his hand twitched, as if reaching out for something that was no longer there.